1910 Highlanders

A Canadian rookie with emery board hidden in his glove. A star first baseman who got his manager fired. A postseason showdown with the Giants at the Polo Grounds. The 1910 Highlanders were the most interesting team the franchise had produced in years -- talented enough to finish second in the American League, dysfunctional enough to implode from within. Russ Ford put together one of the greatest rookie seasons in baseball history while Hal Chase engineered a clubhouse coup that ousted George Stallings and installed himself as player-manager. It was a season that proved the Highlanders could compete with anyone and trust nobody.

Ford's Secret Weapon

Russ Ford arrived from Canada with a pitch nobody had ever seen. He'd roughed up one side of the baseball with a piece of emery board hidden in his glove, creating unpredictable movement that baffled American League hitters. To cover his tracks, he pretended he was throwing a spitball -- a legal pitch at the time -- and let batters guess wrong.

Ford's first big-league start, against the Philadelphia Athletics, set the tone: nine strikeouts, a complete game shutout, 1-0 victory. On July 19, he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning before losing it on a misjudged fly ball with two outs. By season's end, Ford had compiled 26 wins, a 1.65 ERA, and 8 shutouts -- numbers that still stand as the American League rookie record for victories. His emery ball was so effective that baseball would eventually ban doctored pitches by 1915, tracing the rule change directly to Ford's innovation.

The Coup Against Stallings

George Stallings had improved the Highlanders from last place to fifth in 1909, and by mid-1910 the team was in second place. But tensions between Stallings and Chase had been building all season. Stallings publicly accused Chase of not playing with full effort -- of "laying down" during games. The accusation was explosive. Chase was "Prince Hal," the most popular player on the roster and widely regarded as the greatest fielding first baseman in baseball.

Chase responded by going over Stallings' head. He demanded that owner Frank Farrell remove the manager. Farrell, faced with a choice between his skipper and his star, sided with the star. In mid-September, Stallings was out. Chase took over as player-manager for the final 14 games, going 10-4 down the stretch. Stallings would go on to manage the 1914 "Miracle" Boston Braves to a World Series title, proving that his instincts about team-building -- if not about managing Chase -- had been right all along.

Second Place, Again

The Highlanders finished 88-63, their best record in years and good enough for second place in the AL. They scored 626 runs. Ford's pitching carried the staff. John Knight led the everyday hitters with a .312 average, and Chase himself batted a strong .362. At Hilltop Park, the team was dominant -- 49-25 at home -- but they couldn't catch the Philadelphia Athletics.

It was the franchise's third second-place finish in eight seasons. Close enough to smell the pennant, never quite close enough to grab it. The Highlanders were stuck in that frustrating space between good and great, and the managerial chaos hadn't helped.

The Subway Series

Second place earned the Highlanders something they'd never had: a postseason showdown with the New York Giants. The two teams negotiated a best-of-seven exhibition series -- the first time they'd played at each other's ballparks since the Highlanders' founding in 1903.

Game 2 at Hilltop Park on October 14 provided the highlight. Trailing late, the Highlanders scored two runs in the ninth, with Chase scoring the winning run on a bases-loaded walk. Jack Warhop pitched a complete game in the 5-4 victory. In Game 6, Jack Quinn used his spitball to dominate as the Highlanders erupted for eight runs in the second inning of a 10-2 blowout.

But Game 7 at the Polo Grounds on October 21 belonged to Christy Mathewson. The Giants' ace won his third game of the series, and Larry Doyle's three-run homer sealed a 6-3 victory. The Highlanders had fought hard. They just didn't have an answer for the best pitcher in baseball.

The Chase Gamble

Chase's takeover as player-manager looked brilliant in the short term. The 10-4 finish gave Farrell confidence that his decision to fire Stallings had been correct. Chase would get the full-time job for 1911, and the franchise pinned its hopes on the theory that its best player could also be its best leader.

The theory was wrong. Chase's full season as manager would produce a .500 record and a sixth-place finish -- proof that the man who'd orchestrated Stallings' departure didn't have the temperament or the skills to replace him. But that reckoning was a year away. In October 1910, the Highlanders had a rookie phenom, a postseason series against the Giants, and a player-manager who believed his own hype.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many games did Russ Ford win as a rookie in 1910?

Russ Ford won 26 games with a 1.65 ERA and 8 shutouts in his 1910 rookie season -- establishing the American League rookie record for wins. Ford's secret weapon was his emery ball, a pitch he created by roughing up one side of the baseball with emery board hidden in his glove.

Why was George Stallings fired in 1910?

Stallings publicly accused star first baseman Hal Chase of not playing with full effort during games. Chase demanded that owner Frank Farrell remove Stallings. Farrell sided with his popular player, firing Stallings in mid-September. Chase took over as player-manager for the final 14 games, going 10-4.

Did the Highlanders play the Giants in a postseason series in 1910?

Yes. The Highlanders and Giants met in a best-of-seven exhibition series in October 1910 -- the first time the two teams had played at each other's ballparks since 1903. The Giants won four games to two (with one tie), with Christy Mathewson winning three games including the decisive Game 7.

What was Hal Chase's batting average in 1910?

Chase batted .362 in 1910, one of the highest averages in the American League. He also served as player-manager for the final 14 games of the season, going 10-4 after orchestrating the firing of George Stallings.